Battery-cover-removing device.



M. MELIA.

BATTERY COVER REMOVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. II, 19!].

2 SHEETS-SHEEI l.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

M. MELIA.

BATTERY COVER REMOVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-11.1917

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'NHE snares PAENT rrion.

MARTIN MELIA, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO COMMERCIAL TRUCK COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPO- RATION OF PENNSYLVANIA:

BATTERY-COVER-REMOVIN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918'.

Original application filed July 1, 1915', Serial No. 37,616. Divided and this application filed October 11,

1917. Serial No. 195,964.

a To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN MnLIma citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Battery-Cover-Removin Devices, (being a division of my application for patentfiled Jul 1, 1915, Serial No. 37,616,) of which the' following is a specification.

At the present time it is customary to provide storage battery cells, particularly those of the type employed for the propul- "sion of vehicles, with hard rubber covers quired considerable time and labor, but frequently resulted in injury either to the cover or to the cell.

One object of my invention therefore is to provide a device whereby it shall be possible to quickly and conveniently remove sealed battery cell covers, said invention contemplating means for simultaneously heatingthe sealing compound for its entire length so as to soften it sufliciently to permit of the withdrawal of the cover.

,A' further object of the invention is to provide a novel device for simultaneously applying heat to the four sides of a battery jar for the purpose of softening the ring of compound employed to seal the jar cover in position, the arrangement of parts being such as to permit of the device being quickly applied to and adjusted on cells of different I also desire to provide a novel structure for applying heat to the substantiallyvertical walls or sides of a battery cellwhich whilebeing capable of a relatively coarse adjustment to fit it for applicationto cells of widely varying widths, shall also include adevice whereby it may be adjusted to compensate for small variations in the dimensions of the cells which are nominally of the same size.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying .drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan illustrating my device as applied to a battery cell;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 1

tively; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the parts constituting the angle iron frame of my device.

In the above drawings 1 represents the upper portion of albattery cell commonly made'of hard rubber or the like, provided with a cover 2 in the shape-of a flat plate also of hard rubber having adjacent and parallel with its periphery an upwardly projecting rib 3'between whichand the up-" per part of the inside surface of the cellis a body 4 of sealingcompound, making a liquid-tight joint botliwith the battery cell and with the rib. and peripheral portion of. The latter customarily has' the cover .2. three holes 5, 6' and 7 formed in it, of which the first is substantially central, and the other two areon oppositesides of the first hole with, their centers on the transverse diameter of the cover. v I

My invention includes two lengths of angle iron each bent so that one part 8 is at right angles to the other part Sand has in its upper surface an'elongated slot 9. The part8 has riveted to 'itsextremity a handle member 10 preferably of the form commonly used in pliers, pincers or the like, there being also an elongated plate 11 mounted between the end of, this handle and the top surface of the angle frame member 8 so as to be held in engagement therewith by the rivets 12,'witli one of its edges extendingbeyond or overhanging the adjacent vertical face of said frame member.

Coacting with each of the handlemembers 10 isa second handle member 13 of a generally similar shape except that its inner end is prolonged in the form of a short flat plate 14: having a longitudinally extending key 15 projecting from its lower face into the slot 9 of the frame member 8 belonging to the second one of the handle members 10. The members 10 and 13 of each pair are pivotally connected by a bolt 16 having a winged head 17 operative upon a washer 18 which in turn engages the top surface of the handle memberlO. Moreover this bolt has an enlarged portion 19 which loosel passes through a pivot hole 20 in said handle member of considerably larger diameter and closely fits the pivot opening 21 of the second handle member 13, its lower end being provided with a nut 22. The handle members of each pair are provided with studs 23 projecting toward each other from their outer ends, designed for the reception of'a spring 2 which normally acts to force said ends apart.

Obviously by loosening the bolt 16, the

end members 8 of each of the angle frameparts may be drawn apart to increase the length of the rectangle defined by them and these are so arranged that when the device as a whole lies in a horizontal plane the frame members each present two vertical surfaces at right angles to each other for engagement with the vertical sides of a battery cell. For heating these vertical faces of the frame members I provide a gas burner shown in the present case as consisting of two sections 25 and 26 of gas pipe, though obviously other forms of heating means may be employed without departing from my invention. Said pipe sections are preferably provided with nipples 28 and 29 Iflor the attachment of flexible gas supply ose.

The first of these pipes extends around the two sides of one of the frame members the frame members.

88 within the angular space defined by its top and side members, while the second gas pipe 26 extends in the similar space of the second frame member, each of said pipes having a plug or cap 27 at its distant end. These gas pipes may be supported in any desired manner and in the case illustrated I have shown them as carried by screws 30 extending downwardly from the top webs of The gas pipes are provided with outlet openings 31 directed to ward the vertical webs of the various frame members. so that the gas jets issuing therefrom will directly heat the same.

Under conditions of operation the bolts 16 are loosened and the frame is approximately fitted to the top portion of a battery cell 1 by adjusting the parts 8 of the frame memberstoward or from each other, at which time the keys 15 as well as the bolts 16 slide in the slots 9, it being understood that each frame is designed to operate'on battery cells of substantially constant width but of widely varying lengths. After this adjustment has been made, the bolts 16 are tightened by turning their winged heads 17 and then by squeezing together the handle members 10 and 13 of each pair against the action of the springs 2a, the frame as a whole may be made to increase its area owing to the lateral movement of the part 19 of each of the bolts in the enlarged openings 20 of the handle members 10.

hen in this condition the frame may be easily applied to the upper end of a battery cell, and upon release of the handles, the action of the springs causes the frame members to approach each other so that their vertical faces will lie in close engagement with the vertical sides of the battery cell while the device is held in place by the overhanging edge of the plates 11 resting upon the top edges of the battery cell. If

gas be supplied to the pipes 25 and 26 and.

ignited, it will issue from the openings 31, thus heating the frame members, and particularly their vertical faces, to a high temperature, though not sufiiciently to injure the rubber of the battery cells'to which they are applied.

Owing to the comparatively close engagement of these frame members with the walls of the battery cell immediately opposite the lines of engagement of the sealing compound 4 therewith, this latter is very shortly softened by the heat transmitted through the walls of the cell so that a comparatively slight upward force exerted on the cover plate 2 suffices to remove it with the compound. Merely by grasping the handles with sufficient force to slightly separate the two frame members, the device may be removed from the battery cell and quickly placed upon another.

In order to facilitate the removal of the cover plates, Iprovide a lifting device particularly designed to efiect this result without liability of injury to them and for this I employ a handle consisting of a tubular stem 32 which at one end has integral with it a hand grip 83 and at its other end is laterally extended to provide a circular foot 34. Within said body 32 I place a longitudinally movable rod 35 having pinned on its upper end a finger bar 36 and at 1ts lower end having a head 37 laterally elongated in one direction.

In employing this for the removal of the cover plate of a battery cell the grip 33 is engaged by the hand of the operator, thus allowing the finger bar 36 to drop, under the action of gravity to the lower port1on of said member, and permitting the head 37 to project some distance below the foot 34. Said head is preferably made greater in length than the diameter of the central hole 5 of the cover, being entered in said hole in an inclined position, and thereafter brought into such a position that it engages the edges of the opening at diametrically opposite points for a considerable area.

By drawing up on the finger bar 36 within the hand grip 33, the foot 34 is caused to engage the upper surface of the cover plate around the hole 5 while the head 37 engages the under surface, so that an upward force may be exerted on said plate, which when the compound 4: is softened as above described, permits of its easy removal. Should said compound be insufficiently softened so that it is necessary to exert considerable force in withdrawing the cover, the liability of breakage of the latter will be reduced to a minimum owing to the relatively large area engaged by the head 37 and foot 34.

I claim v1. The combination of an open frame formed to receive within it and closely engage the outside surface of a battery jar adjacent the cover thereof; and means carried by said frame for heating its inner surface and that portion of the batteryar in engagement therewith.

2. The combination of an open metallic frame formed with extended surfaces shaped to conform to and contact witha portion of the outside surface of a battery jar; and means mounted on said frame for heating said frame surfaces.

3. The combination of an open frame having fiat portions formed to closely fit around the fiat surfaces of a battery jar; with a burner pipe extending around the outside of said frame in position to heat said flat portions under conditions of use.

4. The combination of a frame of angle iron having at least one of its flanges formed to lie against and closely engage an object to be heated; with a burner pipe mounted between the fianges of said angle iron in position to heat said first named flange.

5. The combination of a frame formed of two lengths of angle iron; members movably connecting the ends of said lengths to define a geometrical figure; and a burner pipe ex tending around the frame adjacent the sides of said lengths.

6. The combination of a frame consisting of two members each longitudinally slotted; handles adjustably connected to said members and having portions respectively slidable in said slots; means for movably connecting the frame members to hold them in positions to define a geometrical figure; and means for heating said frame.

7. The combination of a frame consisting of two members each consisting of two parts extending at an angle to each other; a handle fixed to one end of each of said frame members; a second handle adjustably connected to the second end of each of said members; a member movably connecting the members at two points; with means for heating the frame.

8 The combination of a frame consisting of two members each having two parts of which one is longitudinally slotted and extends at an angle to the other; handles adjustably connected to said members and having portions respectively slidable in said slots; means for movably connecting the frame members to hold them in positions to define a geometrical figure; and means for heating said frame.

9. The combination of a frame consisting of two members each having two parts at an angle to each other, of which one part is longitudinally slotted; handles adjustably connected to said members and having portions respectively slidable in said slots; means for movably connecting the frame members to hold them in positionsto define a geometrical figure; and heating means consisting of a burner attached to the frame and extending around the outer portion thereof.

10. The combination of a frame formed of two lengths of angle iron bent at right angles; members movably connecting the ends of said lengths to definea rectangular figure; and a burner ine extending around the 'frame in the angle defined by the sides of said lengths.

11. The combination of a substantially rectangular frame; means for adjusting said frame to vary the size of the rectangle defined thereby; pivotal connections for permitting ao ustment of the frame to a limited 13. The combination of a frame consisting of two lengths of material each having two parts; a handle fixed to one end of each part; a second handle adjustably connected to the second end of each part in position to coact with the fixed handle of the other part; members loosely connecting the lengths adjacent their handles; springs forcing apart the handles of each pair; and means for heating said frame.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

MARTIN MELIA.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

